''The IMAX Nutcracker'' is a 1997 short film directed by Christine Edzard based on

The Nutcracker and the Mouse King "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" (german: Nussknacker und Mausekönig) is a story written in 1816 by Prussian author E. T. A. Hoffmann, in which young Marie Stahlbaum's favorite Christmas toy, the Nutcracker, comes alive and, after defeating ...

E. T. A. Hoffmann Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann (born Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann; 24 January 1776 – 25 June 1822) was a German Romantic author of fantasy and Gothic horror, a jurist, composer, music critic and artist. Penrith Goff, "E.T.A. Hoffmann" in E ...

. It was produced by

Celia Bannerman Celia Bannerman (born 3 June 1944) is an English actress and director. Career Bannerman was born at Abingdon, Oxfordshire, and trained at the London Drama Centre. She started her professional career with Ralph Richardson as Dolly in Bernard S ...

, Andrew Gellis, Lorne Orleans and Olivier Stockman at

Sands Films Sands Films is a small British film production company, founded by producer Richard Goodwin and director Christine Edzard in the early 1970s, and based in Rotherhithe, London. The company is known for its production of costumes for period dramas ...

Studios in London. The film stars

Miriam Margolyes Miriam ( he, מִרְיָם ''Mīryām'', lit. 'Rebellion') is described in the Hebrew Bible as the daughter of Amram and Jochebed, and the older sister of Moses and Aaron. She was a prophetess and first appears in the Book of Exodus. The Tora ...

, Heathcote Williams, Lotte Johnson, Benjamin Hall, Harriet Thorpe, and Patrick Pearson. The music by Tchaikovsky was arranged by Michael Sanvoisin and cinematography was by Noel Archambault. ''The IMAX Nutcracker'' is a 3-D IMAX narrative film telling the story of Little Clara who receives a toy nutcracker for Christmas and sees it come to life later that night. The Nutcracker Prince takes Clara to an enchanted land where she meets the Sugar Plum Fairies.

Production

, the production company that made the film, is owned and run by Christine Edzard, the screenwriter and director, and her husband Richard B. Goodwin. The film was made in collaboration with Goodwin by Edzard, who is known for her meticulous filmmaking often based on Victorian English sources. Their earlier productions include '' Stories from a Flying Trunk'' (1979), ''

The Nightingale The common nightingale is a songbird found in Eurasia. Nightingale may also refer to: Birds * Thrush nightingale, a songbird found in Eurasia * Red-billed leiothrix, a songbird of the Indian Subcontinent Literature * "Nightingale" (short sto ...

'' (1981), ''

Biddy Biddy or Biddie is a given name which may refer to: People * Biddy Anderson (1874–1926), South African cricketer * Biddy Baxter (born 1933), English television producer * Biddy Dolan (1881–1950), American Major League Baseball player * Bidd ...

'' (1983), '' Little Dorrit'' (1987), '' The Fool'' (1989), ''

As You Like It ''As You Like It'' is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has b ...

'' (1991), ''

Amahl and the Night Visitors ''Amahl and the Night Visitors'' is an opera in one act by Gian Carlo Menotti with an original English libretto by the composer.Menotti, Gian-Carlo: ''Amahl and the Night Visitors (piano-vocal score)'', G. Schirmer, Inc., 1997. It was commission ...

'' (1996), ''

The Children's Midsummer Night's Dream ''The Children's Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a 2001 film based on the play ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' by William Shakespeare. It was written and directed by Christine Edzard and produced by Olivier Stockman. The music by Michel Sanvoisin was ...

'' (2001) and '' The Good Soldier Schwejk'' (2018).

Reception

'' Variety'' was positive, writing “while it lacks the richness and texture of the famed ballet, “The IMAX Nutcracker” is nevertheless solid family entertainment.” The reviewer praised the film's “strong production values”, predicting it would “become a holiday classic”. ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' described it as “the movie equivalent of...layer cake that's so rich it can only be consumed in tiny nibbles” and “a holiday dreamscape that is considerably darker in tone that the ballet”. The “sheer opulence” was praised for being impressive but they thought the film “never feels magical” and was more “like being in a department store at the height of the Christmas season and not knowing where to look.” ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...

'' gave the film a mixed review. They thought that despite the anticipation of director Christine Edzard's “uniquely charmingly sensibility”, the film “disappointed” due to the use of actors instead of dancers. Nevertheless, it is “an intelligent and sumptuous interlude”.

References

External links

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Sands Films: ''Productions'' ''Filmmakers Directory: Christine Edzard'' at British Council''Christine Edzard'' at mubi''Miriam Margolyes: Roles''Pinewood Studios: ''The IMAX Nutcracker''
{{DEFAULTSORT:IMAX Nutcracker 1997 films 1990s English-language films 1990s British films Films based on The Nutcracker and the Mouse King